Daniel O’Connell found not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Daniel O’Connell was found not guilty by reason of insanity of attempting to murder his sister, Olivia O’Connell, at the Central Criminal Court. The proceedings were reported on 12 October 2017.

He had pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder her on 25 April 2016 at her home in Knocklyon, Dublin. She was pregnant and suffering the effects of chemotherapy when he stabbed her.

O’Connell admitted to gardaí that he had tried to kill his sister. The trial heard that his computer had been used to search for terms including “murder suicide” and “not guilty by reason of insanity” before the stabbing.

Defence psychiatrist Dr Paul O’Connell said the alleged offence would not have occurred without the mental disorder operating at the time, and that it had negated the accused’s capacity to form the necessary intent. Dr Anthony Kearns, a psychiatrist who testified for the DPP, said his autism would have compromised his understanding of threats and that he did not properly understand that what he was doing was wrong.

The jury returned its unanimous special verdict after two hours and six minutes. Mr Justice Paul Butler thanked the jury and expressed sympathy with the victim.

Defence counsel Vincent Heneghan SC said an order could be made committing O’Connell to the Central Mental Hospital. He was due back before the court on 23 October 2017, when a future plan for his treatment would be decided.